Ludwig plass



(No ModeL) L. PLASS. Piano Action.

No. 239,271. Patented March 22,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

LUD\VIG PLASS, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,271, dated March 22, 1881.

Application filed September 14, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LUDWIG PLAss, of Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Actions for Piano-Fortes, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to horizontal pianoforte actions in which two checks, one attached to the hammer and the other to the jack, are employed for holding the hammer in position for repeating and the principal object of the invention is to simplify such actions and make their repeating action more reliable and eii'ective.

To this end the invention consists in a novel combination, with a hammer and jack, of checks, and a regulating-screw carrying a rigidly-attached button for bearing upon the top of thejack, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of a horizontal action for a grand or square piano, in which the key is represented as depressed and the hammer as pressed against the string; and Fig. 2 represents a similar view, in which the key is shown as slightly raised and the hammer as away from the string and held in position for a repetition of the tone.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures.

A designates the key, fulcrumed at a in the ordinary way; and B designates the jack actuated thereby. The said jack is here represented as pivoted in the free end of a tangent, B, which is itself pivoted or hinged at the opposite end by a tangent flange, b, to the hammer-rest rail 0. Upon the top of the key is a saddle, c, which,as the playing end of the key is depressed, acts upon the free end of the tangent B and actuates the jack. In the hammer-rest rail 0 is inserted a screw, (1, which carries at its lower end a button, d, whereby the movement of the key may be regulated.

D designates the hammer, in the butt of which is the usual notch or knuckle e, and which is secured by the hammer-flange c to the hammer-rail D.

E designates one of the strings, it being thought unnecessary to show more than a single hammer-action.

F designates a check, which is formed by a (No model.)

] projection on the jack B, preferably having an inclined face, and made in the same piece with the jack for simplicity and cheapness; and G designates a check, which is rigidly attached to the lower end of an adjusting-screw, f, inserted transversely through the hammer-butt, and adjustable therein. The position of the check G may be varied by simply turning the screw f, and the. said check is preferably iir clined upon opposite sides, correspondingly to the inclination of the check F, so that when the screw f is turned only half a turn a properly-shaped face of the check is presented to be impinged against by the check F upon the jack.

The butt of the hammer D is not of unusual form, and as the adjusting-screw f is inserted through it, instead of through the light hammer-shank, it is firmly held, and the hammer is not liable to be broken.

Arranged above thejack, and inserted transversely through the ham mer-butt, immediately behind the notch or knuckle c, is a regulatingscrew, g, and to the lower end of said screw is rigidly fixed a button, g, which is adapted to rest upon the top of the jack B and hold the hammer raised after the jack has been thrown out of the notch or knuckle 0. hen the key is depressed, as shown in Fig. 1, the hammer is raised by the jack, and after it has struck the string the jack is thrown out of the hammer notch or knuckle c, at which time the hammer is supported by the button g resting upon the jack, and thus prevented from falling. The check F, by the outward movement of the jack, is brought into contact with the check G, and the jack is prevented from moving outward from under the button g. As soon as the key is slightly released the spring h, under the lower arm of the jack B, forces the jack back more or less into the notch or knuckle c, in position for repetition. By laying back the hammer upon the hammenrail, and laying forward the jack upon the rest-rail, the key may be readily taken out. As the button y will not allow the jack to go higher than the lower surface of the button the checking will not be in any way varied, whether a hard or easy blow is given the key, and hence the certain repetition is insured. The action is also very desirable, because of the absence of any repetition-sprin 2. The combination of the hammer D, the adjListing-screwf carrying at its lower end 15 the check G, having its opposite faces inclined, the jack B, having the inclined check F formed upon it, and the regulating-screw g, carrying the rigidly-attached button g, substantially as specified.

LUDWIG PLASS.

Witnesses:

T. M. E. COLLINS, T. H. A. OoLLINs. 

